GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY IN DIFFRENT COUNTRIES – Good Friday 2017

There’s a question. Is Good Friday A national Holiday. In Some countries, Good Friday is national Holiday. Countries all around with strong Christian beliefs celebrate GoodFriday including countries like Australia, Brazil, Canada Philippines, Spain, Singapore, Germany, USA, UK, Mexico, Sweden, in some countries it is declared as a public or federal holiday. Good Friday is observed differently in countries all over the world.

Good Friday in Australia:

Good Friday is a national Holiday under all states and territories of Australia. All shops in states are required to be closed for Good Friday duration, except some shops with special permission. All school and colleges also remain close as part of Good Friday national Holiday. Businesses included recreational activities are open during the holiday for non-religious people.

Good Friday in Canada

Good Friday is a national holiday in Canada. In Quebec province, employers can get a choice of holiday between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Good Friday in Cuba

Good Friday is the national holiday in Cuba since 31st march 2012 on request of Pope Benedict XVI which improved Cuba’s relation with Vatican.

Good Friday in Ireland

Good Friday is not a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland. Some businesses remain close on this day, as it is a Catholic-dominant country. Religious ceremonies are held and attended throughout the Republic. Alcoholic beverages retail is illegal on Good Friday.

Good Friday in Malaysia

Good Friday is a national holiday even though it is a Muslim majority country. In the state of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia as the have a Christian majority population in these parts.

Good Friday in Malta

The Commemoration of Holy Week reach its peak on Good Friday and is celebrated with passion in Roman Catholic Church. Processions are held in villages all over and Good Friday is a national holiday in Malta.

Good Friday in the Philippines

The day progress with street processions, passion chanting, denaskulo performance, passion play and way of the cross. Some devotees have themselves crucified as an expression of penance despite the disapproval of church. Masses are celebrated and bells are not rung. Media and television’s main focus is religious topics and events related to catholic faith. Shops, restaurants and malls remain closed as Good Friday national holiday. The ritual of Burial of Jesus is held at 3 in the afternoon, Image of dead Christ is laid to be venerated, In some parts, people eat being nit and bike for fasting ritual.

Good Friday in Spain

The Spanish word for Easter is Pascua and it is celebrated exaggerative as the 73.2% of Spain’s population is Catholic

Good Friday in Lent Period:

Easter is not a single day celebration, it is the last day of Holy Week which starts after the 40 days of Holy Lent. This 40 day period is to make people realise humanity and mankind’s existence. In realisation of humanities sins, people fast and give alms and the mourning end on Easter Sunday the resurrection day

Palm Sunday:

It’s the first day of Holy Week marking the day Christ entered Jerusalem. This week is known for remembering he passion, death and resurrection. Palmera of Elche the biggest palm grove of Europe is used in a tradition where palm leaves are covered and tied to whiten the leaves away from sunlight, eventually dried and braided in exaggerated shapes On this day people are supposed to wear brand new clothes and enter the church carrying the palm’s branch which is then blessed by the priest

Nazareno:

This is an important custom in Spanish Tradition during Holy Week. Participants wearing robes known as Nazarene enter the processions held in streets. Nazareno is a long robe with a pointy hood that hides to faces of participants. The carry candles and wooden crosses for the procession. They walk barefoot in street wearing chains on feet to symbolise penance and sin.

Pasos:

Floats with structure are carried by brotherhoods known as Pasos. It depicts important scenes from gospels of Christianity like sorrows of Mother Mary or Passion of Christ. These pass are an important part of street processions and are created by artists.

Maundy Thursday:

The day before Good Friday bells of churches is tied and then opened on Easter day. It’s to mourn and feel sorry for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The bells are united on Easter to celebrate Jesus’s Resurrection.

El Viernes Santo:

Spanish Catholics eat fish and vegetables on this day and do not consume meat Popular food on Good Fridayare garlic soup and stew of cod, spinach and chick peas

Holy week in Spain is celebrated enthusiastically, observation ways vary in different corners of Spain, one such place is Leon. 15000 people walk in a 9-hour long walk every day which is part of a procession. It starts on Friday before Hole Week. Such unique procession takes place throughout Spain.

U.K Good Friday

Traditionally on Good Friday Hot cross buns are eaten in Britain. Good Friday is an official holiday in U.K. All schools and most businesses remain closed as part of Good Friday national holiday. Government services operate regularly in Northern Ireland substituting holiday for Easter Tuesday. Traditionally horse racing on Good Friday started in 2008

Good Friday in the United States

Good Friday is not a national holiday in U.S. Individually some state observe the holiday (Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas. There local government offices and courts remain closed and in some cases post offices and banks too. Stock markets are closed on Good Friday but foreign exchange remains open partially. Public universities and schools are also closed